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Arne Slot is fighting for his future at Liverpool (Image: Getty)
Speculation is mounting that Arne Slot could face the sack at Liverpool in the coming weeks. The Reds have only won five of their last 18 Premier League matches after losing 3-2 at Bournemouth in the 95th minute on Saturday. Though Slot's champions are in a good position in the Champions League, they are sixth in the Premier League and at risk of missing out on the top four now that Manchester United are rejuvenated under caretaker head coach Michael Carrick.
Slot could pay the price for a massive decline in performance levels and results compared to 12 months ago. The Dutchman took the club to the title in his maiden campaign, as well as the Carabao Cup final, but is struggling to get his team winning regularly in his second season. Liverpool have not won any of their five league games in 2026 ahead of Saturday's visit of Newcastle. So who could replace Slot straight away if the 47-year-old does lose his job any time soon? Express Sport takes a look...
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Jurgen Klopp
An emotional reunion, anyone? Klopp has not been on the touchline since his final match as Liverpool manager against Wolves on 19 May 2024. The legendary German, 58, has been head of global soccer for Red Bull GmbH since January last year.
Klopp has been linked with the Real Madrid job after Xabi Alonso was sacked but recently said he does not plan on a return to management. That said, the Premier League and Champions League-winning coach said back in October a return to Anfield is 'possible.'
Klopp said on the Diary of a CEO podcast: "I said I will never coach a different team in England so that means, if [I did return], then it's Liverpool. So, yeah, theoretically it is possible."
That means if FSG were to call, Klopp - who won 299 of his 491 games in his previous nine-year stint at the helm - could certainly be swayed on coming back to reignite the Anfield crowd.
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Jurgen Klopp has hinted he would say yes to a return to Liverpool (Image: Getty)
Xabi Alonso
If it's not a reunion with Klopp, it could be one with Alonso. The highly-regarded Spanish left his role as Real Madrid manager on January 13 but his departure owed as much to political issues as it did problems on the pitch.
Alonso still won 71 per cent of his matches at the Bernabeu after less than eight months in charge. The former midfielder has made it clear previously Liverpool are a club he'd love to manage in the future, having spent five seasons on Merseyside as a player between 2004 and 2009.
Given the job he did at Bayer Leverkusen and his ties to the club, Alonso would be very high up the shortlist for the Liverpool hierarchy. He was a strong contender to replace Klopp before Slot ultimately got the gig.
Alonso is ready to return to management quickly. On his return to Anfield with Leverkusen in the Champions League, the 44-year-old said in November 2024: "Always a Scouser, still a Red."
Steven Gerrard
If it's not Klopp or Alonso, another man with a deep love for Liverpool who could take the job is Steven Gerrard, arguably the best player ever to wear a red shirt in front of the Kop.
It is no secret Gerrard, 45, has dreamt of becoming Liverpool manager but his stock as a coach has fallen since his unbeaten title-winning season at Rangers. He has struggled at Aston Villa and Al-Ettifaq since then so would be unlikely to get the job full-time, at least not straight away.
But only last month, the former captain offered himself to his old club in any capacity. He told TNT Sports: "I'll be brutally, brutally honest with you: I'd help Liverpool in any department at any minute of every day. I'd help them in anything.
"I don't want the Liverpool manager to lose his job, I want Arne Slot to fix this and turn it around and make Liverpool great. I'm a Liverpool fan, I want the best for Liverpool. But if Liverpool need me, in any department at any time, I'll be there for them." Perhaps an interim stint for the iconic ex-midfielder?
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Steven Gerrard would relish the chance to manage Liverpool (Image: Getty)
Ange Postecoglou
A left-field option, Postecoglou was among the names linked to Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp announced his departure. The Australian's high-risk style probably isn't what the Reds need right now but his sides are at least attacking and adventurous.
Postecoglou, who left Nottingham Forest in October after just 39 days in charge, has confessed he grew up a Liverpool fan in the 1970s. He said: "When they played the whole possession stuff and really played football, it was a bit different, and it always attracted me down that road. That obviously influenced me."
Asked if the links to the Liverpool job were a compliment two years ago, Postecoglou responded: "It all depends. If it is just people throwing up names then who cares? Like seriously, it doesn't matter.
"At the end of the day If I am doing a good job then it means that people will acknowledge that in one form or another, whatever that form is. So-called chat? Really? It is of no interest to me."